Ice Cream
by Melodisz
Summary: It always works out like this. She asks and he follows. — HoutaEru


**disclaimer** : I do not own Hyouka.

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**Ice Cream  
**by _Melodisz_

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_**O**reki Houtarou_ was sitting idly in the Classic Literature Club room, just watching the snow falling outside the window. And it was almost the time to go home when _Chitanda Eru _suddenly stood up and asked if he was free after school.

Today, _Fukube Satoshi_ was at the Handicrafts Club and _Ibara Mayaka_ was a volunteer librarian.

No distractions.

Winter seemed to make Houtarou's _low energy_ even lower because before he could even say the word '_no_', let alone finding any solid excuses to just go home and do _nothing_, the next moment he found himself being dragged out of the school gate by Eru.

It seemed to always work out like this between the two of them since the first day they met. She asked and he followed.

A bit unwillingly but no question being asked, Houtarou heave a sigh and continued to walk even though it wasn't his way home. They walked together for about five minutes before Eru stopped at the new-open ice cream shop. His eyes slightly widened.

Unsure if this really was a sudden craving for sweets or if this girl was completely out of her mind, Houtarou asked with much more urgency in his tone than he always used to.

"Oi, aren't you cold?"

Eru looked up at him and nodded then said with a smile on her face, "Hai, please wait just a moment."

Houtarou could only watch the glimpse of her flowing black hair as Eru entered the shop. Sure, he was confused but his brain told him it was best not to interrupt anything so he decided to wait here in front of the shop. Whatever she intended to do, it would end soon and he could go back home after that.

Yes, if he didn't have to do it, he wouldn't but if he had to do it, made it quick.

Houtarou hadn't noticed when Eru came out but right now she was standing in front of him, holding one ice cream cone in each hand.

"Hai, Oreki-san!" she thrust one of the cone in her left hand out at his chest.

Houtarou flinched. He surely didn't see this coming and if he looked at her face — _her eyes_, he knew he wouldn't survive this.

"Why do you eat ice cream in the winter?" he asked calmly, his eyes averted to look anywhere else but her, trying to figure his way out.

"Eh, Oreki-san, you don't know?" Eru said, surprised and a bit curious, "Eating ice cream in the winter makes you feel warmer." she continued, "It's true because I've always done this when I was younger. My uncle told me.. " her voice trailed off, her eyes averted from his face to the sweets in her hand.

"Ice.. cream," she whispered to herself.

"Chitanda?"

At the mentioning of her uncle, Houtarou reflexively looked back at her and it seemed to be his biggest mistake. Eru slightly shook her head before she looked up at him again, her head tilted up in a degree that made her big striking purple eyes perfectly bore into his emerald green ones.

"Oreki-san, please try this!"

At this point, he had no choice. Houtarou grabbed the cone from her hand and just stared at it for a while until Eru clasped his hand, slightly pushing it forward to his mouth. He swallowed hard, his eyes flicked between her face and their technically holding hands before he decided to taste it by licking.

Once.

Twice.

Finally, he took the first bite.

Right at that moment, the coldness of ice cream in the middle of winter started burning so strongly at the tip of his tongue through his throat he almost shivered but shortly after that, he could feel something — maybe warmth, as she said — spreading over his body. When Eru unclasped her hand from his, it was gone but he still felt more relaxed than before for some reasons.

"Do you feel warmer?" she asked attentively, still staring at his face.

He nodded reluctantly.

"That's really great!" she said with the brightest smile plastered on her face. Inexplicably, Houtarou felt his face get a bit warmer.

Then, they started walking back together in comfortable silence.

Now that Houtarou thought about it, the whole thing seemed so unreasonable, both ice cream and her or even himself. He would try to figure it out someday, just not now. He had already spent more energy than necessary today and _finally_, he was going back home—

"Anou.. Oreki-san?" Eru began absent-mindedly, "I've never really thought about it before but ice cream is cold."

Houtarou tensed up, almost starting to sweat despite the low temperature.

"So how can we feel warmer after we eat it?" she mumbled to herself before looking up at him with determination and curiosity dancing in those irresistible purple eyes of her _again_.

Houtarou was halted, his breath caught, "Chitanda—"

"Oreki-san, I'm curious!"

The only thing he could do was admitting his defeat with a huge sigh.

**fin.**

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**notes** : I think no one will read this but if you are that no one, Hi!

I love this anime. The character designs are really beautiful and these two are just so adorable together~

Also, reviews are greatly appreciated! =)


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